Integrating removable storage devices in a computing environment

ABSTRACT

Integrating removable storage devices is disclosed. A described method includes retrieving an identifier of a removable storage device connected to a computer system and matching the identifier with a device identification stored in a file of the computer system. The file includes an application identifier corresponding to the device identification. The method also includes executing an application corresponding to the application identifier associated with the device identification matched to the identifier.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application. Ser. No.13/306,272, filed Nov. 29, 2011, and hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments of the invention relate generally to a computer systemand, more specifically, relate to systems and methods for integratingremovable storage devices in a computing environment.

BACKGROUND

When a new device is connected to a computer system, it requiresinstallation of a special application on the computer to easeinteraction with the new device. Some examples of such devices are MP3players, digital cameras, and mobile phones. The installed applicationsassociated with the devices may, for example, organize music, importphotos, and so on.

Once the applications are installed and started, they generally sitactive in the system tray and wait for their associated device to beconnected to the computer system. As a result, the applications arerunning in a loop in the background, which can take up enormous amountsof system resources, such as memory and Central Processing Unit (CPU)load and time. Thus, the more devices that are connected to a computersystem, the more applications consume system resources, leaving fewerresources for other important applications. Moreover, it is notnecessary to have these applications running (even in the background)because the device is generally connected to the system for a shorttime.

Conventional solutions to the above-described problem include datasynchronization applications, such as Microsoft ActiveSync, which enablea computer system to synchronize the handheld devices. Typical problemswith such synchronization applications is that they proactively searchfor connected devices and run other processes that are known to have anegative impact on a computer's performance. Furthermore, when not inuse, these synchronization applications still can consume CPU load andtime.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be understood more fully from the detaileddescription given below and from the accompanying drawings of variousembodiments of the invention. The drawings, however, should not be takento limit the invention to the specific embodiments, but are forexplanation and understanding only.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system in which the embodimentsof the present invention may operate;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary table of a systems library of a computersystem according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method for integrating auniversal serial bus (USB) device in a computing environment; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a computersystem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention provide for mechanism for integrating USBdevices. A method of embodiments of the invention includes retrieving anidentifier of the USB device connected to a computer system, matchingthe identifier with a device identification stored in a systems libraryof the computer system. The systems library includes an applicationidentifier corresponding to the device identification and an attributecorresponding to the application identifier. The method also includesexecuting instructions associated with the attribute corresponding toapplication identifier associated with the device identification matchedto the identifier.

In the following description, numerous details are set forth. It will beapparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present inventionmay be practiced without these specific details. In some instances,well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form,rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the presentinvention.

Some portions of the detailed descriptions, which follow, are presentedin terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations ondata bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are the means used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their workto others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally,conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desiredresult. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physicalquantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take theform of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It hasproven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, torefer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters,terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the followingdiscussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description,discussions utilizing terms such as “sending”, “receiving”, “attaching”,“forwarding”, “caching”, “determining”, “computing”, “performing”,“matching”, or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computersystem, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates andtransforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities withinthe computer system's registers and memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer system memoriesor registers or other such information storage, transmission or displaydevices.

The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing theoperations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for therequired purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computerselectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored inthe computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a machinereadable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of diskincluding floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-opticaldisks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs,EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable forstoring electronic instructions, each coupled to a computer system bus.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purposesystems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specializedapparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structurefor a variety of these systems will appear as set forth in thedescription below. In addition, the present invention is not describedwith reference to any particular programming language. It will beappreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used toimplement the teachings of the invention as described herein.

The present invention may be provided as a computer program product, orsoftware, that may include a machine-readable medium having storedthereon instructions, which may be used to program a computer system (orother electronic devices) to perform a process according to the presentinvention. A machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storingor transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., acomputer). For example, a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable)medium includes a machine (e.g., a computer) readable storage medium(e.g., read only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magneticdisk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.),etc.

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for integratinguniversal serial bus (USB) devices in a computing environment. Anintegration module is initialized on a host operation system. Theintegration module reads and/or retrieves an identifier (ID) of the USBdevice connected to the computer. The integration module functions tomatch the USB device ID with one or more IDs found in a list of deviceIDs stored in the systems library of the OS, and then executes theapplication(s) associated with the device ID. In one embodiment, theintegration module executes all the applications associated with thedevice ID. In another embodiment, the integration module executes theapplications that include attributes having instructions to execute theapplication upon the device being connected to the computer. In afurther embodiment, the integration module prompts a user to select theapplications to execute.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a computersystem 100, in which embodiments of the present invention may beimplemented. The computer system 100 may be a host machine such as, forexample, a server computer, a gateway computer or any other suitablecomputer system that is configurable for operating as a host. The hostmachine (also referred to as a host computer system) 100 comprises ahost operating system 104 (i.e., a host OS 104) on which runs one ormore software application programs 102 (i.e., applications 102) and ahardware platform 106. Operating system 104 may include MicrosoftWindows™, Linux™, Solaris™, Mac™ OS or any other suitable operatingsystem for managing operations on the computer system 100.

The hardware platform 106 may include one or more central processingunits (CPUs) 108, devices 110 and a memory 112. The devices 110 may becomprised of one or more hardware and software devices 110, which may belocated internally and/or externally to the host 100. Examples of thedevices 110 include, but are not limited to, network interface cards(NICs), sound or video adaptors, photo/video cameras, printer devices,keyboards, displays, a USB host controller (e.g., DEV 1), or any othersuitable device intended to be coupled to a computer system. Examples ofthe memory 112 include random-access memory (RAM), non-volatile storagememory (e.g., Flash, EEPROM, solid state drives (SSD), etc.), magneticstorage memory (e.g., one or more hard drives), optical memory (e.g.,CDs, DVD, BlueRay drives, etc.), network interface cards (NICs), soundor video adaptors, photo/video cameras, printer devices, keyboards,displays or any other suitable device intended to be coupled to acomputer system.

In one embodiment, one or more USB device(s) 114 may be externallyconnectable to the operating system 104 via a USB host controller (e.g.,DEV 1) integrated with the computer system 100. In an embodiment, theUSB host controller may be an integrated circuit (IC) separate from theone or more CPUs 108. In another embodiment, the USB host controller maybe integrated with the one or more CPUs 108. As known to one skilled inthe art, USB devices are removable storage devices, which can beconnected to any computer system with a USB port and are available to auser in the same manner that fixed disks are made available. Whenconnected to the system, the user can navigate the file systems on theremovable storage device using the same interface as is available forfixed disks.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a systems library 116is integrated in a USB port 115 of the operating system 104. Accordingto embodiments of the present invention, the systems library 116 iscomprised of one or more hardware and software devices, which may belocated internally and/or externally to computer system 100. The systemslibrary 116 includes a list of identifications (e.g., Device IDs) of theUSB devices registered with the computer system 100. In one embodiment,the systems library 116 includes a table 130 to provide the list ofDevice IDs of the USB device.

The operating system 104 further includes an integration module 118 toread and/or retrieve an identifier (ID) of the USB device 114 connectedto a computer. In one embodiment, this ID is unique to each of the USBdevices 114. In some embodiments, the ID may represent a product and/ora vendor ID of the USB device. The integration module 118 also searchesand matches this ID with the list of Device IDs in the systems library116.

In some embodiments, the integration module 118 may further execute oneor more applications associated with the Device ID of the USB device114. The operating system 104 may also include a graphical userinterface 120 to provide a user with an interface to select one or moreapplications identifiers (App IDs) corresponding to the one or moreapplications in order to run these applications for the USB device.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary table 130 found in the system library116 of an operating system according to an embodiments of the invention.In one embodiment, table 130 is part of systems library 116 of OS 104described with respect to FIG. 1. In one embodiment, table 130 includescolumns having a Device ID 202 unique to a USB device (such as USBdevice 114 of FIG. 1), one or more application identifiers (App IDs) 204associated with the Device ID 202, and at least one attribute 206corresponding to the one or more App IDs 204 of the Device ID 202.

In one embodiment, the Device ID 202 provides an address of the USBdevice 114. For example, the Device ID 202 may include, but is notlimited to, an eight character ID “1234-FEDC”. In one embodiment, theApp IDs 204 provides application addresses. Some examples of the App IDs204 include, but are not limited to, “C:\Apps\PhotoApp . . . ”,“C:\Apps\Upload.exe . . . ”, and “C:\Apps\Panaroma . . . ”. In someembodiments, other different types of App IDs may be used.

In some embodiments, the attribute 206 column of table 130 may include avalue representing “True” or “False”. In one embodiment, “true”indicates the existence of instructions to automatically execute anapplication associated with the App IDs 204 upon connection of the USBdevice having device ID 202 with the system 100. Similarly, “false”indicates the existence of instructions to present an option to the userto select the App IDs 204 in order to execute an application associatedwith the selected App ID 204 upon connection of the USB device havingthe device ID 202.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 300 for integrating USBdevices according to an embodiment of the invention. Method 300 may beperformed by processing logic that may comprise hardware (e.g.,circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.),software (such as instructions run on a processing device), firmware, ora combination thereof. In one embodiment, method 300 is performed by theintegration module 118 of FIG. 1.

Method 300 begins at block 310 an identifier of the USB device 114 isretrieved upon connection to the computer. As discussed above, theidentifier is unique to each USB device. In one embodiment, theidentifier may be part of initial information obtained from the USBdevice when the computer system starts communicating with the USBdevice. At block 312, the identifier of the USB device is compared to alist of Device IDs registered in the systems library of the OS of thecomputer system.

Then, at block 314, it is determined if there is a match between theidentifier of the USB device and the Device IDs in the systems library.If it is determined that there is no match at block 314, the USB deviceis registered with the systems library at block 316. In one embodiment,the integration module includes an application programming interface(API) that automatically executes an application to directly registerthe USB device into the systems library 316. In another embodiment, auser is directed to register the USB device via the GUI 120. Then,method 300 returns to block 310 to continue retrieving USB deviceidentifiers. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is amatch at block 314, one or more App IDs and the corresponding attributesassociated with the matched Device ID are retrieved at block 318.Subsequently, at block 320, it is determined if the instructionsassociated with the retrieved attributes of the retrieved App IDsinclude to execute the application or not. If the retrieved attributeindicates the existence of automatic execution instructions, then atblock 322, the one or more applications are automatically executed.

On the other hand, if the retrieved attributes to do not indicate theexistence of automatic execution instructions, then at block 324, theuser is prompted to select the App ID among the list of App IDs 204. Inone embodiment, a dialog window including the one or more App IDs withthe corresponding attributes is provided to the user via the GUI 120.Then, at block 326, applications associated with the App IDs selected bythe user at block 324 are executed.

Subsequently, at block 328, all applications that were previouslyexecuted as part of method 300 are closed. In one embodiment, the one ormore applications are automatically closed after running the one or moreapplications. The applications are automatically closed after completionof one or more tasks executed by the one or more applications. Inanother embodiment, the user is prompted to close the one or moreapplications after running the one or more applications. In anotherembodiment, the one or more applications are closed after the USB device114 is disconnected from the computer. In a further embodiment, the useris prompted to close the one or more applications after the USB device114 is disconnected from the computer. One skilled in the art willappreciate that method 300 may be repeated for any USB device uponconnection to the computer system.

FIG. 4 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine in theexemplary form of a computer system 400 within which a set ofinstructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternativeembodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to othermachines in a LAN, an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet. Themachine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in aclient-server network environment, or as a peer machine in apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be apersonal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a PersonalDigital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, aserver, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable ofexecuting a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specifyactions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a singlemachine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken toinclude any collection of machines that individually or jointly executea set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more ofthe methodologies discussed herein.

The exemplary computer system 400 includes a processing device 402, amain memory 404 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamicrandom access memory (DRAM) (such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or RambusDRAM (RDRAM), etc.), a static memory 406 (e.g., flash memory, staticrandom access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storage device 416, whichcommunicate with each other via a bus 430.

Processing device 402 represents one or more general-purpose processingdevices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like.More particularly, the processing device may be complex instruction setcomputing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computer (RISC)microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, orprocessor implementing other instruction sets, or processorsimplementing a combination of instruction sets. Processing device 402may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmablegate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor,or the like. The processing device 402 is configured to executeintegration logic 422 for performing the operations and steps discussedherein, such as method 300 for integration of USB devices as describedwith respect to FIG. 3. In one embodiment, integration logic isperformed by integration module 118 of FIG. 1.

The computer system 400 may further include a network interface device408. The computer system 300 also may include a video display unit 410(e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), analphanumeric input device 412 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor controldevice 414 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device 416 (e.g., aspeaker).

The data storage device 418 may include a machine-accessible storagemedium (or more specifically a computer-readable storage medium) 420 onwhich is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g. integrationmodule logic 422) embodying any one or more of the methodologies offunctions described herein, such as method 300 for integration of USBdevices as described with respect to FIG. 3. The integration modulelogic 422 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within themain memory 404 and/or within the processing device 402 during executionthereof by the computer system 400; the main memory 404 and theprocessing device 402 also constituting machine-accessible storagemedia.

The machine-readable storage medium 420 may also be used to store theintegration module logic 422 persistently containing methods that callthe above applications. While the machine-accessible storage medium 420is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term“machine-accessible storage medium” should be taken to include a singlemedium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database,and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets ofinstructions. The term “machine-accessible storage medium” shall also betaken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding orcarrying a set of instruction for execution by the machine and thatcause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of thepresent invention. The term “machine-accessible storage medium” shallaccordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-statememories, and optical and magnetic media.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding theabove description. Although the present invention has been describedwith reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be recognizedthat the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but canbe practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit andscope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification anddrawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than arestrictive sense. The scope of the invention should, therefore, bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: retrieving an identifier ofa removable storage device connected to a computer system; matching theidentifier with a device identification stored in a file of the computersystem, wherein the file comprises an application identifiercorresponding to the device identification; and executing, by aprocessing device, an application corresponding to the applicationidentifier associated with the device identification matched to theidentifier.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the application identifiercomprises an application address.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein theapplication is executed among a plurality of applications correspondingto the application identifier associated with the device identificationmatched to the identifier.
 4. The method of claim 2 further comprisingautomatically executing the application associated with the applicationaddress.
 5. The method of claim 2 further comprising allowing a user toexecute the application associated with the application address.
 6. Themethod of claim 3 wherein the application among the plurality ofapplications is selected by a user for execution.
 7. The method of claim3 wherein the application among the plurality of applications isautomatically selected for execution.
 8. A system comprising: a memory;and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory to: retrievean identifier of a removable storage device connected to a computersystem; match the identifier with a device identification stored in afile of the computer system, wherein the file comprises an applicationidentifier corresponding to the device identification; and execute bythe processing device, an application corresponding to the applicationidentifier associated with the device identification matched to theidentifier.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the application identifiercomprises an application address.
 10. The system of claim 8 wherein theapplication is executed among a plurality of applications correspondingto the application identifier associated with the device identificationmatched to the identifier.
 11. The system of claim 9, the processor toautomatically execute the application associated with the applicationaddress.
 12. The system of claim 10 wherein the application among theplurality of applications is selected by a user for execution.
 13. Thesystem of claim 10 wherein the application is automatically selected forexecution from among the plurality of applications.
 14. A non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereonthat, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing deviceto: retrieve an identifier of a removable storage device connected to acomputer system; match the identifier with a device identificationstored in a file of the computer system, wherein the file comprises anapplication identifier corresponding to the device identification; andexecute, by the processing device, an application corresponding to theapplication identifier associated with the device identification matchedto the identifier.
 15. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 14 wherein the application identifier comprises anapplication address.
 16. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 14 wherein the application is executed among a pluralityof applications corresponding to the application identifier associatedwith the device identification matched to the identifier.
 17. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, theprocessor to automatically execute the application associated with theapplication address.
 18. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 15, the processor to allow a user to execute theapplication associated with the application address.
 19. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein theapplication among the plurality of applications is selected by a userfor execution.
 20. The non-transitory computer readable storage mediumof claim 16 wherein the application among the plurality of applicationsis automatically selected for execution.